Trail of Rose
by Collida
Summary: During a mission, Ran discovers who is behind the mysterious disappearances of children but Weiss seems to think he's hallucinating. Can he prove his case before it's too late?
1. Again and Again

Notes: This is definitely not for the weak of heart. It's a winter horror story, what do you expect?

Pairings: None YET..^_~

Warnings: UBER shortness, tiny bit of language, anti-religiousness 

Disclaimer: Not mine. Why not? Too crazy. Like me! ^____^

~~~

Again and Again

Prologue

"Damn." My fist slammed into the wall as I lurched to a halt. "Where are they?" This had been the third mission in a row to be a failure. It was simple really. We were to find the missing child, kill their captors and return the chibi to their home. So? Not only had we been unable to locate the child's exact whereabouts, we had no idea who was behind the kidnappings. No bodies had even been found. 

Winter was coming on quickly and Christmas nearly upon the land. There was a festive feel to the air. No child should go missing now. They should be happily at home with their family by a warm fire. 

Movement. Up ahead in a dimly lit corridor. I was in an abandoned warehouse basement. There was a swish of cloth and I was running again. 

"Stop!" I turned on my headset. "Weiss, I've got someone up here. I'm on it. Level C, employees' wing."

"We'll be there." was the response from the three other assassins stationed in the buildings. I ran faster, just a turn behind the dark figure swathed in shadow in front of me. I was gaining, slowly, as they kept making sudden turns to try to lose me, it wasn't working. I grimly ran faster, intent on catching this strange person.

"Stop!" They didn't even look back. I threw my katana in a heartbeat, catching them in the leg. The figure went down hard and stayed there. My weapon skittered across the floor and halted. I cautiously went to retrieve it and stood over the fallen person. 

"Who are you?" I asked, prodding them with booted toe. 

"If I tell you, will it hurt God?"

~~~


	2. Dreaming?

Notes: Trust me, it's going to get worse. A lot worse. *bows* Enjoy!

Pairings: None *yet*

Warnings: Ran POV, language, violence

Disclaimer: Not mine. Why not? Too crazy. Like me! ^____^

~~~

__

"Who are you?" I asked, prodding them with booted toe. 

"If I tell you, will it hurt God?"

~~~

Dreaming?

1

A wave of golden sunlight washed over me as the sun peeked over the horizon. I rolled over with a groan, only vaguely realizing that I wasn't in my own bed. I didn't care. I was too damn tired. And in pain. My ribs and one of my legs felt like they had been sliced up and bandaged again.

"Oh no you don't. Wake up Ran." It was Youji. I opened an eye and glared up at him.

"What? I'm trying to sleep. Go away."

"Does this feel like your bed?" His blurry face focused for a moment as it came scant inches from my own.

"No but I don't really care right now."

"Well you should, because I'm going to kick you out in a moment." He flipped the blankets off me and started poking my shoulder. "Come on Ran, you need to go to your own room. I'd carry you but I don't think you'd like that."

"Damn straight." I informed him, rising slowly, seeing that there were bandages wrapped around my torso and left calf. I didn't feel like talking, especially not to Youji. I had a sinking suspicion that if he annoyed me enough, I wouldn't mind killing him. But Ken and Omi would mind. And I don't think they'd mind killing me at that point.

I stumbled into my room, still drowsy and feeling as though I was drunk. _What had happened? I didn't even remember seeing the others that night after I hit that person...I don't even remember coming home..._

At that point I realized that something was not quite correct. Maybe Ken could tell me what the hell had happened last night. But was that more important than sleep? Apparently it was because my legs started to carry me down the stairs and into the kitchen were Omi and Ken were sitting at the table eating quietly. They both stared at me as I entered and looked away discreetly. I glared. What was up with them?

"Alright, someone explain to me, what the fuck is going on?" Omi remained silent, serenely eating his toast. How could he just ignore me like that, not letting me interfere with his little happy life. Damn it Omi! Ken, however, put down his toast and looked at me with a shrug. 

"When you told us you had someone, Omi and I came to help but when we got to you, only you were there, on the floor unconscious. You were all cut up and it looked like it had been done with your own katana." he told me quietly. 

"So he was gone? And I was fucking there unconscious? How the hell would he knock me out without me even remembering him moving?" I asked to no one in particular, but Omi only looked even more uncomfortable. "What's the matter with you?" 

"We think that perhaps because there were high levels of carbon monoxide in the area that there might not have really been anyone there at all. When you passed out you might have landed on your katana, cutting yourself and breaking a few ribs." He gestured to my leg and chest as he mentioned each wound. I felt my face flushing with anger and I glared at him.

"You think I was fucking hallucinating? I saw him down there! I saw Farefello in that building, I chased after him, and I brought him down with my weapon! How can you fucking say I imagined it?" I was almost yelling now. Ken's face was turning pale with anger and he was starting to rise from his seat but Omi pulled him back.

"What's all the yelling about in here?" Youji strolled in, stretching. His hair was mussed from sleep and a grin lit his face. "Oh yeah, that's right. Aya was imagining a baddie in that place, I'm suspecting, just to feel better. I'm surprised it hasn't happened before. Maybe you should consider retirement." How dare he say that? There are innocent _children _out there probably being murdered by that insane bastard and all you're doing is saying that I'm hallucinating?

I lurched towards Youji, my hand closing around his throat. I slammed his back into a wall, lifting him off his feet. I stared at him coldly, ignoring the shouts from my teammates. I didn't care. This bastard deserved it.

"Fuck you, Youji." I released him and let him crumble, coughing to the floor as I walked away and out of the house. I didn't even bother to get my jacket or shoes. I didn't care.

~~~


End file.
